Main menu

2015 Food Trends: Our New Year’s Forecast

As with any other year, 2014 had its share of food and nutrition fads. Undoubtedly, social media helped to drive the viral nature of some of these trends. Every type of consumer, from teens to Millennials to adults, could easily find blogs and websites touting the latest weight loss trick or health cure-all. But as with other diet trends in the past, we know there is no one solution, and many of these fads are not based on credible scientific research. As we look ahead to 2015, we anticipate some persistent trends that will require science-based communications and context in order to improve consumer understanding.

1. We’ve reached “peak coconut”: For the online food and nutrition community, 2014 was a year-long trip to the tropics. Misinformation touting the benefits of coconut oil is prevalent in social media, with bloggers and advertisements promising that coconut oil would cure every health problem from obesity to Alzheimer’s disease. Though some research has associated coconut oil with modest health benefits in raising HDL cholesterol, it’s definitely no “cure-all.” Check out our Coconut Oil and Health Fact Sheet for a science-based perspective on the coconut oil craze.

2. Animal Fats: Are They Back? Coconut oil isn’t the only saturated fat getting attention from dieters. This year, traditional and social media alike have been “churning” with articles about butter. Recently, research inAnnals of Internal Medicine suggested that the link between high saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease may not be as strong as the scientific community once thought. This research article prompted many media outlets to proclaim that “butter is back.” One prominent magazine even went so far as to advise consumers to “eat butter.” However, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming no more than ten percent of total calories from saturated fat, which the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee draft recommendations currently maintain. Dietary guidance on total fat should comprise no more than 20-35 percent of adult daily calorie intake. For more information on dietary fats, view the IFIC Foundation’s Dietary Fats: Balancing Health & Flavor.

3. “Clean” Eating: “Clean”, “natural”, “organic”… we’ve all heard these terms used to describe certain foods, and while they’ve been used to demonize other foods, the fact is that these terms do not automatically mean the product has any fewer calories or any more nutrients. In 2015, watch for this trend to continue, but ultimately to be trumped by taste and cost factors, as the International Food Information Council Foundation Food & Health Survey has shown these factors to be most important in food and beverage purchase decisions. (IFIC Foundation, 2014)

4. Labeling: A picture paints a thousand words, but does a food package need to? The FDA proposal to label “Added Sugars” and the ongoing debate around labeling foods produced using biotechnology made labeling a major issue in 2014. Expect these discussions to continue into 2015 and to influence some consumers’ food and beverage consumption decisions as they look for ways to improve their health. It will be important to provide education and communication on the science regarding these potential label changes. For example, IFIC Foundation conducted consumer research to understand how people may interpret “Added Sugars” information on the Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP). Their responses suggest that the term “Added Sugars” is not well understood and comprehension of sugars-related information on the NFP decreases when it is introduced. Concerted efforts to provide additional guidance on how to properly interpret and utilize “Added Sugars” information would be needed, if it is added (no pun intended) by FDA.

5. “One-Size Fits All” Weight Loss Plans: This year, members of social media were buzzing with information about going gluten-free, wheat-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, or anything-“free” as a solution to weight loss. Gluten-free diets were already trendy prior to 2013, and despite a large body of scientific evidence that suggests no benefit to the general population, consumers increasingly embraced it in an attempt to lose weight or for other health benefits in 2014.

For bread-lovers everywhere, there are some early indications that this trend may be on its way out. Furthermore, recent research has suggested that there is no “one-size fits all” or “best” way to lose weight, and that dieters can lose weight by sticking to a healthful diet plan that matches their calorie needs and taste preferences, and getting regular physical activity. For more information on this research, read “Research Points to Adherence as Key Factor for Effective Weight Loss,” also in this issue.

You may have noticed a pattern with the trends listed, which is that few of them are backed by solid science. This may be partially due to some stakeholders’ overinflating the impact of a single study, and social media “fluff” masquerading as fact that often goes unchecked. While credible scientists and health professionals are attempting to balance these discussions, it is often done after the article has already been viewed by thousands, and comments at the bottom of articles may be ignored. With little to no fact-checking or seeking expert input on online information, it can be hard for the public to know where to turn for reliable food and nutrition information and increasingly, consumers trust their own judgment or the opinions of friends and family for their food advice (IFIC Foundation, 2013). While this may be better than ascribing to the latest fad diet, it will be important to improve our communication of the science to help enable informed consumer choices.

JUNE 2017: Editor's Note: Eyes on the (World Food) Prize • What’s On the Table for Menu Labels? • It's Not Always Greener on the Other Side • Let's Get Back to Basics on Genetics • Enjoy a Variety of Food? Thank a Pollinator. • Listen Up About Listeria: Here is the 411 • Make Room for Legumes • Keeping Your Kids Hydrated and Healthy • 6 Tips for Mindful Eating • New Nutrition Resources to Help “Build Back My Muscles” • What’s in the Dietitian’s Bag? • Better Know a Nutrition Scientist: Meet Julie

APRIL 2017: Editor's Note: March for Science a Day for Renewal • A Few Thank Yous for Food Science • Earth Day and Agriculture: Let's Celebrate the Planet! • A Deep Dive on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guideline's Inclusion of Caffeine • Conserving Water on the Farm and in the Home • Foods that Promote Cardiovascular Health • The Rising Agent: Nutritional Yeast • Sorghum: From Salads to Syrups, This Grain is Cropping Up Everywhere • Alexandra Lewin-Zwerdling Joins IFIC as Vice President

FEBRUARY 2017: Editor’s Note: There’s Good News, If You Know Where To Find It • How To Eat Out Without Pigging Out • Mindful Eating • Top U.S. Food and Nutrition Trends in 2017 • Yes We Can! Celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science • Seasonal Produce: Winter Fruits and Vegetables • A Nutrition Showdown: Canned Green Beans vs. Fresh Green Beans • INFOGRAPHICS: Foods for Maintaining a Healthy Weight, Making Sense of Sugars: Fruit in All Forms

(No January 2017 publication)

DECEMBER 2016: Editor’s Note: Kicking the Holidays Up a Notch • Penne for Your Thoughts: Four Holiday Food Gift Ideas • How to Make Over Your Holiday Leftovers • The Top Food Insight Blogs of 2016 • Top 8 Articles on Partner Sites in 2016 • Food Security 102: What Is Being Done To Reduce Global Food Insecurity? • The Vitamin B Complex: It's Actually Not That Complex • Think You Have Food Poisoning? Here's What You Should Do • A Guide to Making Sense of Sugars

NOVEMBER 2016: Editor's Note: Navigating the Thanksgiving Table • Survey: Americans Don’t Know How Much Food They Waste • Everything You Need to Know About Antibiotic Resistance • Q&A: Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance in the Food Supply • Making Sense of Added Sugars Labeling • Tackling a Food Thermometer Is Easy: How To Practice Food Safety While Tailgating

OCTOBER 2016: Editor's Note: Global Perspectives on Food Days • Improving Public Understanding of Antibiotic Resistance • A Colorful History of Food Colors • More About Natural and Artificial Food Colors • Preserving the World's Land from Soil Degradation • Healthy Eating for Two (Infographic) • Maximizing Your Macronutrients During Pregnancy • Make Your Next Taco Truck Trip Muy Bueno • 'Tis a Good Time To Try Tisanes

SEPTEMBER 2016: Editor's Note: Passages • Question About Agriculture? Ask a Farmer on Twitter • Tips for Eating Safely on an International Trip • Bohemian-Style Cuisine in the Heart of Prague • Taking Stock in Fish Markets: Block Island and Seattle • Reducing Food Waste: Creating New Meals with Leftovers • It's Been a Lovely Summer for GMO Safety • Cutting Down on Sodium: 6 Alternatives to Salt • It's Tea Time!: A Guide to the Many Flavors of Tea

JUNE 2016: Editor’s Note: Grill of My Dreams • Your Guide to the Updated Nutrition Facts Label • Future of Food, Part IV: A Farmer with a Vision • Switzerland's Culinary Footprint in the U.S.: A Conversation with Amb. Martin Dahinden • Science Sent: GMOs Are Safe to Eat • The Microbiome: A Mega-Field That’s Just Getting Started

(No May 2016 publication)

APRIL 2016: Editor’s Note: “Marching” Toward Better Health • 3 Tips to “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right” This National Nutrition Month • 8 Spices from Around the World • Future of Food, Part II: Serving Up Meat, Over Glass • Tip o’ the Mornin’ to You: Don’t Feel Green on St. Patrick’s Day (or Any Day)

MARCH 2016: Editor’s Note: “Marching” Toward Better Health • 3 Tips to “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right” This National Nutrition Month • 8 Spices from Around the World • Future of Food, Part II: Serving Up Meat, Over Glass • Tip o’ the Mornin’ to You: Don’t Feel Green on St. Patrick’s Day (or Any Day)

FEBRUARY 2016: Editor’s Note: Future Foods, Coming to a Plate Near You • Future of Food, Part I: Food Innovations of Tomorrow • Why You Should Check Food Labels for Potential Allergens • Super Confused About Super Foods? An Educated Consumer Is a Healthy Consumer • How Librarians Prevent the “Dunning-Kruger Effect” • Citrus: Great Fruits for Heart Health

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015: Chew on This: A Food Technologist Puts Red and Processed Meat in Perspective • Understanding, Evaluating, and Communicating Nutrition, Part III: Research Funding • Training the Next Generation of Science Communicators, Part II • Achoo!: Food and Other "Prescriptions" for Surviving Cold and Flu Season • When Nutrition Gets Personal: Study Shows New Frontiers in Understanding Glycemic Response

OCTOBER 2015: Orphan Crops • Answering the Challenge of "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" • Weeding Through the Facts on Herbicide Resistance • Rainy Day in Nashville Fails to Dampen RDs' Spirits • Understanding, Evaluating, and Communicating Nutrition, Part II • Training the Next Generation of Science Communicators, Part I